iPhone 14 tipped to offer double the maximum storage capacity

iPhone 13 Pro
The iPhone 13 Pro. (Image credit: TechRadar)

The iPhone 13 is the first Apple smartphone to top out at 1TB of internal storage, if you go for either the Pro or Pro Max model, but it seems Apple isn't finished there: the latest from the rumor mill suggests that the iPhone 14 could go as high as 2TB.

That's according to MyDrivers (via MacRumors), which has something of a hit and miss record with predictions – so don't take this as definite just yet. We're not expecting the phone for another 11 months, after all.

The site does mention a switch to a new type of flash storage called QLC (quad-level cell), which improves performance and capacity while also reducing cost. That switch has been mentioned by other sources, though this is the first we're hearing of a 2TB option.

Pro models only

As with the current iPhone line-up, it's reasonable to assume that the maximum 2TB of storage will appear on the iPhone 14 Pro and the iPhone 14 Pro Max, if it appears at all – it's likely that these configurations are going to be rather pricey.

To date we haven't heard too much about what Apple might be planning for its 2022 iPhone series. One rumor that has emerged is that the iconic iPhone notch could make way for a smaller punch hole design on the displays of the Pro models.

There's also been talk of an upgrade to a 48MP camera sensor, and higher resolution video capture could be one of the reasons that more storage is going to be offered by Apple. It would be a surprising upgrade if it happens, but we'll wait and see.


Opinion: more storage is always welcome

iPhone 13 Pro Max

The iPhone 13 Pro Max. (Image credit: TechRadar)

More storage space always used to be an expected upgrade year on year for flagship smartphones, but that trend has faded away as more and more of us have started relying on cloud storage to keep all of our precious photos, videos and other files safe.

On top of that, there's been a seismic shift from owning digital content like movies and music to simply streaming it through the likes of Netflix and Spotify. With broadband and cellular speeds increasing all the time, the need to keep files stored locally on a device is not as important as it once was.

Even so, we're not going to turn down the offer of 2TB. With the Pro iPhones now capable of shooting 4K ProRes video at 60 frames per second, it's a case of the more storage the better – and that's before we get on to syncing audio and video for offline playback.

If the higher storage configurations aren't for you, the more affordable, lower capacity options are still going to be available as usual. We're always glad to see more storage choices available at the top end though, and that goes for flagship Android devices as well as the Apple iPhone range.

David Nield
Freelance Contributor

Dave is a freelance tech journalist who has been writing about gadgets, apps and the web for more than two decades. Based out of Stockport, England, on TechRadar you'll find him covering news, features and reviews, particularly for phones, tablets and wearables. Working to ensure our breaking news coverage is the best in the business over weekends, David also has bylines at Gizmodo, T3, PopSci and a few other places besides, as well as being many years editing the likes of PC Explorer and The Hardware Handbook.